Diptera: Flies

Flies are the most underappreciated of the major insect orders. While they are best known for pests like the domestic house fly and their association with mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, in truth the harmful species are a small minority. These insects are the most adept of all the flying animals, they were instrumental in building the science of genetics, and they are among the most important pollinators of flowering plants.

Musca domestica

Young house flies (Musca domestica) fill an inflatable structure- the ptilinum- with hemolymph to break free from the hard shell of the puparium. Once free, the ptilinum collapses back into the head.
Urbana, Illinois, USA